Thanks for Clearing That Up
by Inareskai
Summary: Marinette can't understand why, after nearly a year of dating, Adrien still hasn't kissed her. Post-reveal. Shamelessly stolen from the anime Tsurezure Children, but with a more clearcut ending. Short one shot. (Cross posted on AO3)


**Thanks for Clearing That Up**

 _Marinette can't understand why, after nearly a year of dating, Adrien still hasn't kissed her. Post-reveal. I am anime-trash and I don't even care (creative license has been taken with this scene anyway…)_

'I just don't get it Tikki. We spend loads of time together, he gives me hugs, sometimes he'll even hold my hand. But even that's a rarity! It's been almost a whole year, why hasn't he kissed me yet?' Marinette flopped onto her bed in frustration.

'You know Marinette, you could just kiss him.'

'I want to be romanced, Tikki. Romanced!'

'I understand that, but you should really at least talk to him.'

Marinette sighed dramatically. 'Fine, but I thought he'd be more attentive as a boyfriend, you know? I'll talk to him about it on patrol.'

'Hey Buginette! How's my favourite technically-a-beetle-not-a-bug hero this fine evening?' Chat pounced onto the roof Ladybug sat on with a cheerful pirouette.

Ladybug rolled her eyes at him. 'Have you been looking up Ladybug facts again?'

Chat grinned at her. 'I just like knowing all about you and your aphid eating ways My Lady. Besides, you know you love me really Mari-bug.'

He caught Ladybug's eye and realised that she was suddenly unhappy, nervous even. She'd been so comfortable around him for years now. The last time she'd been this nervous it had been about a year ago, when they'd just discovered who each other was under the masks.

'Yeah, so, about that…' she began. 'Are you, you know, happy, with… us?'

'What? How could you even ask that Ladybug? Of course I'm happy! Obviously I'd be happier if we were a couple or something, but…'

'Wait.' Ladybug cut him off before he could start rambling. 'What do you mean _if_ we were a couple? I told you a liked you almost a year ago, Adrien, remember?'

'Yeah, I know, you see me just as a friend. I know you were nervous about letting me down gently and everything.'

'Give me strength.' Ladybug looked around at then rooftop, determined it was secluded enough, dropped her transformation, and promptly burst into fits of laughter. 'I did not mean that I liked you as a friend, Adrien. I was confessing my crush on you. The one I've had _forever_. I've been wondering why we'd been together for almost a year and you hadn't even kissed me yet!'

Chat stared at her aghast, as she doubled over with giggles.

'Claws in.'

'Did you bring any camembert-popcorn for this, kid? I gonna need it as this drama unfolds!'

'Plagg, shush!' Tikki grabbed him and retreated. Not so far that they couldn't hear. Tikki didn't want to intrude, but she wasn't going to not hear _this_ conversation..

'I thought you'd understood me!' Marinette continued, pretending they didn't have an audience. 'You seemed so happy about what I was saying!'

'I was just pleased you weren't upset that I'm, well, me.' Adrien said softly. 'I thought you were confirming that we were still friends and I was so pleased with that I didn't even stop to think that you might like me as more than that.'

'You silly kitty. All that angst, wasted! Sorry about all that Tikki.'

'It's not your fault girly, he's the dense one! Ow! Tikki! We were allowed to join in!'

'Plagg! Shush!'

'So,' Adrien began, his cheeks burning. 'You've been waiting for almost a year for me to kiss you?'

'Yes.'

'Because you thought we were dating and that I was aware of that?'

'Yes.'

'And you, Marinette-Ladybug Dupain-Cheng, were totally on board with being in a relationship with me? As both mostly-friendless Adrien and annoying Chat Noir.'

'Hey, stop with the self-put downs Mr Handsome Superhero. But double yes.'

'Do you feel the same way now?' Adrien stared keenly at Marinette, and she realised how vulnerable he felt even now. Even after she'd complained that they weren't moving fast enough in their 'relationship' he was worried she'd turn him down.

'Of course, why wouldn't I be? At least now we'll be on the same page about kissing.'

'But I made a mistake that cost us a year of our relationship…'

'We had a relationship for the last year, Chat-greste. It just didn't contain enough kissing for either of us, you make that up to me, we're all good.'

'Can I start making up it up to you now?'

'Absolutely.'

Adrien didn't wait, he cupped Marinette's face in his hands and firmly placed his lips on hers. It didn't last long, but they both knew it was only the beginning.

'To be clear,' Marinette said when they parted. 'That wasn't a friend-kiss or a sign of our strong bond as platonic partners. We are dating. As in, in a romantic relationship dating.'

Plagg cackled behind them as Tikki's shushes disintegrated into giggles.

Adrien leaned in for the next of what would be many, many, more kisses.

'Thanks for clearing that up, Princess.'


End file.
